Method and apparatus for staining microslides



METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STAINING MICROSLIDES Filed Nov. 2, I 1966 INVENTOR. .72/477 2. A/dz.

United States Patent 3,495,926 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STAINING MICROSLIDES John F. Naz, 2826 Orangegrove, Waterford, Mich. 48095 Filed Nov. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 591,592 Int. Cl. D061) 3/02, 5/00 U.S. Cl. 8-3 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method and apparatus for staining microslides consisting of a substantially hollow enclosure having a generally flat filter pad extending across the lower side thereof and adapted to contain a preselected quantity of a liquid soluble staining material, with the enclosure being formed with an access opening on the upper side thereof through which a liquid may be inserted for forming a staining solution, this liquid being applicable to a microslide specimen by passing through the filter pad so that the solution is simultaneously filtered as it is being applied to the specimen.

This invention relates generally to the microslide art and, more particularly, to a new and improved method and apparatus for staining microslide specimens.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved microslide staining device which is adapted to be used for staining biological tissue, blood, cellular specimens or the like.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of staining microslide specimens of the above type wherein undesirable foreign particles are filtered from the staining material as it is applied to the specimens.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved microslide staining device of the above character which is adapted to utilize preselected, carefully measured quantities of staining material in staining microslide specimens.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved microslide staining device of the above character whereing the fixed volume of staining material is provided in a dry or undissolved form within a cavity of predetermined size, and wherein the device is provided with a pair of openings or apertures, one of which is utilized for communicating distilled water or a similar solution into the cavity for dissolving the staining material, the other of said openings being utilized for visually noting the amount of water or other solution inserted into the cavity.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus of the above character which eliminates the messiness attendant similar type staining devices heretofore known and used.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved microslide staining device of the above type which is of a relatively simple design, is easy to assemble and economical to commercially manufacture.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved microslide staining device of the above character which is easily transportable.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing; wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevated perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the microslide staining device of the present invention, as shown in typical operative association with a conventional microslide;

3,495,926 Patented Feb. 17, 1970 FIGURE 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

For convenience of description, the terms upper, lower and words of similar import will have reference to the microslide staining device hereinafter described in detail, with the upper side of the subject device being located away or spaced upwardly from the upper side of the associated microslide, while the lower side of said device is disposed directly adjacent the upper side of the associated microslide. Likewise, the terms inner, outer and derivatives thereof will have reference to the geometric center of the microslide staining device of the present invention and the component parts thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, a microslide staining device 10, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, is shown in operative association with a conventional microslide 12 which is adapted to have a biological specimen or the like (not shown) disposed on the upper side thereof preparatory to staining the specimen through the use of the device 10 of the present invention. As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the microslide staining device 10 comprises a generally rectangular box shaped enclosure or housing, generally designated 14. The housing 14 includes an upper side portion 16, a pair of spaced parallel longitudinally extending side portions 18 and 20, and a pair of end portions 22 and 24 which extend transversely between hefinds of the side portions 18 and 20..The housing portions 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 are preferably formed integrally with one another and are fabricated of plastic or other easily molded or cast materials. The upper side 16 of the housing 14 is formed with a pair of openings or ports 26 and 28 which are communicable with the interior of the housing 14 for reasons later to be described.

The side portions 18, 20 and end portions 22, 24 are preferably provided with an inwardly extending shoulder or lip 30 upon which a flat or planar filter pad 32 is adapted to be attached or mounted, as by glueing or the like. The pad 32 is intended to extend across the entire lower side of the housing 14, with the result that the housing 14 is completely enclosed except for the ports 26 and 28. In a preferred construction of the present invention, the filter pad is fabricated of a non-lint or particle shedding material and is adapted to filter the foreign particles and other undesirable constituents from the staining material as it is applied to the microslide specimens on the slide 12, as will hereinafter be described.

Prior to the filter pad 32 being attached to the lower side of the housing 14, a predetermined volume of a suit able chemical dye (not shown) in a dry or undissolved form is placed within the housing 14. The specific volume of dye thus used may be varied in accordance with the type of biological specimen to be stained, as well as in accordance with the degree of staining which is desired. Preferably, the internal volume of the housing 14 is in the order of 1 to 4 cubic centimeters, and it is intended that this volume will accommodate a sufiicient quantity of staining material for staining virtually all standard microslide specimens; however, it will be readily apparent that the size of housing 14 may be easily changed for staining biological specimens of extremely large or small size.

In operation, the staining device 10 is adapted to be mounted on the upper side of a microslide such as the slide 12 illustrated herein. In particular, the device 10 is mounted such that the filter pad 32 thereof is placed in contact with the biological specimen, i.e., biological tissue, blood, or other cellular material, which is disposed on the upper side of the associated microslide. Thereafter, distilled water or other suitable bufier solution is inserted through one of the ports 26 or 28 into the interior of the housing 14, With the result that the stain material provided therein is dissolved or change from a solid state into a liquid state. This liquid stain is adapted to flow through the filter pad 32 onto the microslide specimen, with the result that the specimen is stained to the desired degree which may be variedby controlling the time of application of the stain to the specimen. As the distilled water or other liquid is being inserted into the interior of the housing 14 through one of the ports 26 or 28, the other of said ports may be used for visually noting when the interior of the device is completely full, thereby obviating the possibility of overfilling the housing 14 or underfilling the same due to air trapped therein.

A particular feature of the staining device 10 of the present invention resides in the fact that as the dissolved staining material is communicated through the filter pad 32 to the microslide specimens, this staining solution is completely filtered by the pad 32, thereby insuring the absence of any foreign materials or particles on the microslide specimen. Another important feature of the above described device of the present invention resides in the fact that a specific predetermined volume of staining material can be provided within the housing 14, whereby to assure for uniform staining of successive specimens with a multiplicity of different staining devices. A still further feature of the present invention will be seen from the fact that the apparatus 10 may be economically manufactured, is easily transportable and may be conveniently used without the attendant messiness of staining solutions prevalent in microstaining procedures heretofore known and used. It will be readily apparent, of course, that the apparatus 10 may be used with various types of staining devices and therefore will find universality of application.

While it will be apparent that the exemplary embodiment illustrated herein is Well claculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it Will be appreciated that method and apparatus of the present invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for staining microslide specimens, comprising:

a substantially hollow enclosure having upper and lower sides,

a generally planar filter means extending across said lower side in direct communication with the interior of said enclosure, the lower side of said filter means being contiguously engageable with a microslide,

a preselected quantity of a liquid soluble staining material Within said enclosure, and

an ,access opening on said upper side for inserting a liquid into said enclosure to form a staining solution of said material.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein enclosure includes means for visually noting the quantity of liquid therewithin.

3. The invention as set forth in. claim 1 wherein saidfilter means comprises a generally fiat filter pad coextensive of the lower side of said enclosure and fabricated of a substantially non-particle shedding material.

4. In the method of staining microslide specimens, the steps which include:

placing a predetermined quantity of a liquid soluble staining material within an enclosure having an access opening on one side thereof and a filtering media along another side thereof, communicating a liquid through the access opening to the staining material to form a staining solution of the material, and placing the side of the enclosure having the filtering media in contact with the microslide specimens and thereby communicating the staining solution to the specimen while simultaneously passing the solution through the filtering media to filter foreign materials from the solution.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,342,409 2/ 1944 Levy. 2,75 0,027 6/ 6 Cummings. 2,992,971 7/1961 Millman et a1. 4243 3,097,141 7/1'963 Kidwell 424--92 3,246,984 4/1966 Nagy et a1. 9675 JOSEPH SCOVRC-NEK, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

